She Likes to Watch

CGI: You’ve come a long way, baby

Twenty years ago, special effects were a relatively simple affair.

Build a few models and miniatures. Create elaborate matte paintings. Add stop-motion animation, makeup and prosthetics, and piece it all together with trick photography and creative camera angles.

Then came the Golden Age of CGI.

Early attempts like the stained glass knight in “Young Sherlock Holmes,” the morphing animal-woman in “Willow” and the denizens of the deep in “The Abyss” stretched the limits of computer-aided imagery. But it was “Terminator 2″ — James Cameron’s action-packed sequel — that really turned the FX industry on its head.

RottenTomatoes.com lists 20 of the most revolutionary CGI movies in the past two decades, starting with the mega-cool liquid metal T-1000 in “T2.”

Here’s the list. The films are ranked, not in order of importance, but chronologically.

1. “T2″ (1991)
2. “Jurassic Park” (1993)
3. “Toy Story” (1995)
4. “Titanic” (1997)
5. “The Matrix” (1999)
6. “Gladiator” (2000)
7. “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within” (2001)
8. “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
9. “Finding Nemo” (2003)
10. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)
11. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)
12. “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004)
13. “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004)
14. “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005)
15. “Batman Begins” (2005)
16. “War of the Worlds” (2005)
17. “King Kong” (2005)
18. “Sunshine”(2007)
19. “Beowulf” (2007)
20. “Wall-E” (2008)

As you can tell, computer-generated images have been a huge part of summer blockbusters and holiday season sensations since the mid-1990s.

In some, computer animation actually takes center stage — such as Golem in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and the title giant ape in “King Kong.”

Without gross Grendel, there’d be no point to “Beowulf’s” 3D roller coaster ride. The same goes for General Grievous in “Revenge of the Sith,” or the alien craft in “War of the Worlds.”

But the CGI bats and bogeys in “Batman Begins”? They’re hardly more than background.

It’s also notable that many of these movies — although pretty — are not particularly good. The flop that was”The Day After Tomorrow” reveals the fallacy of relying on visual effects to carry a film, rather than pesky little things like plot or character development.

A few notable omissions do stand out from this list, such as “The Abyss,” James Cameron’s earliest foray into CGI.

What about “Cloverfield,” the monster movie that got bloggers in a tither earlier this year?

There’s also no mention of two of my favorite special effects extravaganzas of the summer, “The Incredible Hulk” and “Hellboy 2: The Golden Army.”

Could it be that CGI is finally blasé?

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Photo courtesy of MovieWeb.com.

Hi, I’m the Joker. And here’s my card.

By now, moviegoers are abuzz about Heath Ledger’s chilling turn in “The Dark Knight.”

As The Joker, Ledger is a murderous psychopath, a criminal mastermind with no discernible motives other than the spread of chaos and fear. His voice is dry, nasal, unreadable. His body language, rife with nervous ticks.

In short, he’s downright terrifying.

In this audio clip, “Dark Knight” star Christian Bale explains how Heath Ledger immersed himself in the role of The Joker.

Click here for a clip of The Joker setting a fellow criminal straight in “The Dark Knight.”

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In other comic book movie news, actor Ron Perlman sees no reason there shouldn’t be a third “Hellboy” movie.

And Guillermo Del Toro, director of “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” shares his secret love for crooner Barry Manilow.

Enjoy.

Ever heard this line? “Excuse me, but you look so much like …”

I’ve gotten my fair share of comparisons — everything from Liza Minnelli to Alanis Morissette. My co-worker Nick bears a certain resemblance to actor Brendan Fraser.

Heck, I spot could-be celebrities in the supermarket all the time.

But the spookiest doppelganger I’ve encountered has to be Ticket editor Justin Hoeger.

He’s a dead ringer for Guillermo Del Toro, the acclaimed Mexican director of “Hellboy,” “The Devil’s Backbone” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” to name a few.

Don’t believe me? Here’s Hellboy with a gun:

Here’s Guillermo del Toro with a gun:

And here’s Justin. (No, he doesn’t have a gun. He’s at Disneyland, for Pete’s sake!)

What d’ya think?

Take a good look at this “Hellboy” sequel

Move over, Hancock. You too, Incredible Hulk. There’s a new superhero in town.

Hellboy is back in “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” a thoroughly entertaining mix of high fantasy and humor that blows the competition out of the water.

There’s so much crammed into this heavenly sequel that it’d be a shame to give it all away. So here’s my brief, hopefully spoiler-free take on “Hellboy II: The Golden Army.”

THE BIG GUYS: Just like the first “Hellboy” movie, this sequel bears the hallmarks of director Guillermo Del Toro’s fanboy fervor and “Hellboy” comix creator Mike Mignola’s fertile imagination. It’s not “Lawrence of Arabia,” but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

THE CAST: Could there be a better Hellboy? Ron Perlman again dons several square feet of latex to play Hellboy, the hard-hitting, cigar-chomping demon who loves kittens and light beer. Perlman captures Big Red’s working man vibe perfectly. He’s an average Joe, a blue-collar hero who just happens to sport a tail and sanded-down horns.

Meanwhile, Doug Jones –who did double duty as the Faun and the Pale Man in “Pan’s Labyrinth” — is priceless as Hellboy’s amphibious pal, Abraham Sapien.

THE CREATURES: Del Toro’s love of monsters apparently knows no bounds. There are golden-haired elves and brutal trolls, ancient gods and cute-but-deadly tooth fairies. Not to mention a ectoplasmic dude in a old-school robo-suit. Perhaps the most stunning creature is the terrifyingly beautiful Angel of Death, whose massive wings are studded with unblinking amber eyes.

THE SETS: Speaking of creatures, I could spend hours exploring every nook and cranny of the elaborate, exotic Troll Market under the Brooklyn Bridge. Like the market, much of “Hellboy II” — BPRD headquarters, downtown Manhattan, the hall of the Golden Army — invites loving scrutiny.

THE FIGHTS: Don’t worry, kids. Hellboy’s stone Hand of Doom delivers yet another bone-crushing battle royale. Bashing, smashing, swordplay, gunfire — it’s all here.

THE FX: Unlike some obsessed with computer-generated gimcrackery, Del Toro is one of a few Hollywood directors - Jon Favreau of “Iron Man” being another - who does things the old fashioned way. The team behind “Hellboy II”  uses makeup, prosthetics, wire-work and other tricks to create special effects more stunning and realistic than much of the CGI competiton.

THE MUSHY STUFF: Two love stories and a friendship are at stake here, although I won’t say whose. Suffice it to say that “Hellboy II” mixes its darker, more dramatic moments with a light, funny touch.

THE CAMEO: Your ears do not deceive you. The voice of bossy German know-it-all Johann Krauss is indeed provided by Seth MacFarlane, creator of “Family Guy” and “American Dad.”

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army” has to have one of this summer’s best marketing campaign. Everywhere I look I see photos, videos, interviews, and freebies related to the high-action sequel.

Here’s a clip reel of all the YouTube promos posted for “Hellboy II.” The film opens Friday in local theaters.

In order, Hellboy:

1. Meets the paranormal investigators on “Ghost Hunters”
2. Delves deep with “Inside the Actor’s Studio” host James Lipton
3. Visits Wolf on the “American Gladiator” set
4. Plays video games with NBC’s “Chuck”
5. Hangs out with Crash and Yasmin, the hip Latina hosts of “The Chicas Project” on cable channel Mun2*

My favorite clips is probably the final one, a heartwarming short styled after those celebrity-helmed public service announcements. Enjoy!

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* You may have noticed that these are all NBC Universal products.

Look behind you! Big things coming to theaters this month

Big-budget blockbusters are one of my favorite signs of summer.

For one, summer movies tend to be fun, light-hearted entertainment — what I like to call “popcorn movies.”

They’re invariably full of awesome action sequences and clever quips. And they’re shown in cool, dark movie theaters, the perfect place to spend a sun-drenched afternoon.

With “Hancock” and “Wanted” rocking the box office and plenty of hits still to come, here’s a look at July’s most talked-about releases.

Click on the links below for trailers.

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (July 11)

Whether you’re a Hellboy newbie or a longtime fan of Mike Mignola’s comic books like myself, there’s plenty to love about “Hellboy II: The Golden Army.”

“Pan’s Labyrinth” director Guillermo Del Toro returns to Big Red territory with an all-new arsenal of fantasy beasts and high-octane fight scenes.

Judging from the trailer, audiences can expect sleek visual effects, loads of creepy-crawlies and a big dose of self-deprecating humor. Should be fun.

“Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D” (July 11)

Watching the trailer for Disney’s latest 3D rollercoaster, I have just one question: When does the theme park open?

Based on H.G. Well’s classic but scientifically suspect novel, “Journey” shares more with a ride at Disney World than the company’s catalog of beloved family films. There’s not much dialog or character development.

What “Journey” does have is action. Our intrepid adventurers (Brendan Fraser, Anita Briem, and that kid from “Bridge to Terabithia”) brave lava, prehistoric beasts and a host of otherworldly dangers.

Of course, it’s unfair to judge a film meant to be presented in digital 3D by its 2D trailer. The final verdict will have to come in the movie theater.

“The Dark Knight” (July 18)

I’m going to say it right now: Heath Ledger deserves an Oscar.

The late actor is downright spooky as the Joker in this sequel to Christopher Nolan’s brooding “Batman Begins.”

Watching Ledger lick his lips or rake a hand through his matted green hair, you get a true sense of Joker’s madness. This guy isn’t merely kooky. He’s criminally insane.

Add an A-list cast (Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and Gary Oldman among them), dark drama and some jawdropping action scenes, and you’ve got a guaranteed hit.

“Mamma Mia!” (July 18)

Good-looking stars. A gorgeous Greek island. And ABBA songs.

What more could you ask from the summer’s sunniest movie?

With a plot that could be subtitled “Three Dads and a Wedding” and a soundtrack based on ’70s pop, “Mamma Mia!” is decidely lightweight. But that’s hardly the point.

The entire cast — which includes Meryl Streep as the bride’s mom and Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as the dreamy dads — looks like they’re having a blast.

“The X-Files: I Want to Believe” (July 25)

They’re the ultimate duo. The perfect pair.

Dana Scully is the skeptic, the old soul who’s “done chasing monsters in the dark.” Fox Mulder, ever credulous, just wants to believe.

They’re back in a “X-Files” sequel wrought with otherworldly chills.

This time, everyone’s favorite FBI agents are on the trail of a supernatural phenomenon in the Frozen North.

With a plot this “out there,” it helps to have solid casting.

Fortunately, the chemistry between Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny looks as strong as ever. And scottish actor/comedian Billy Connolly, who plays a priest who receives unearthly visions, is sure to be one of the highlights.

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Photo courtesy of MovieWeb.com.

Wary as I am of the Hollywood hype machine, I can’t help posting this video clip of comic book hero Hellboy on “Inside the Actor’s Studio.”

Once again, James Lipton gets kudos for being a hilarious television host.